On March 23rd, ONE Northside celebrates the 8th anniversary of passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Thanks to the ACA, over 20 million people gained coverage since 2010 through insurance marketplaces and Medicaid expansion. The ACA also reduced the number of uninsured in the US to a historic low and created rules for insurance companies that protected patients from being charged more because of age, gender, pre-existing conditions or limits on coverage. Specifically, the ACA required that insurance policies cover basic services called Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) like preventative screenings, prescription drugs, mental health and maternity care without additional cost.
We have a lot to celebrate with the ACA, but Republicans in Congress and President Trump are using legislation and administrative action to try and repeal the law and dismantle Medicaid, a key component of the ACA. They want to make it harder for people to qualify for Medicaid or make their aid amount much less. Other recent actions would leave 13 million people without coverage by 2020 to give permanent tax breaks to Wall Street firms like Apple and Wells Fargo. Join us and other grassroots organizations in our fight to make sure that the Affordable Care Act is HERE TO STAY! Celebrate, vote, and get involved!!